Shelter Me
by DragonViper2.0
Summary: Set in 2015. With two weeks to survive before being able to be free from zombies, they decide to hide in the local old opera house where a certain Erik lives. Erik/OC OC/OC. WARNING: Character Deaths and zombies/infected.
1. Prologue

**The government have created a brand new weapons and but must test it. They build a large wall around a town with only two main gates. They drop their weapon in the centre of town, a strange gas – those who weren't immune to the gas turned into flesh eating zombies and the story is based around a small group of friends who seek shelter from a large house surrounded by a wall that looks clean from zombies, only to find the famous composer Erik Blanc. **

**Shelter Me**

**Prologue**

**17:23pm**

**Day 3 (**_**out of 14**_**)**

**3****rd**** May 2015**

**Hurlingborough**

**East Midlands, England**

**Sammy POV **

Why was this happening? _How_ is this happening? Flesh eating people dragging themselves around after juicy uninfected flesh with blood pouring from their mouths and wounds. I was okay however, with a few close friends. Shane, Mary and Sam '_Lamby_', you see, we were the type of people that spoke of what we will do during a zombie attack, because we're sad like that – yeah, we really are. Especially when we have nothing better to do, and now...here it is; time to put our random rants and jokes to practise as the impossible was actually happening. After so much random conversations based around the topic, playing games where you kill a zombie with anything you can find like in Dead Rising 2, but this is isn't a game. By the way, do you have any idea how hard it is to find a gun in a small town? Very hard I'm telling you.

Where are we at the moment? In a white van driving through the double doors of B&Q – not sure why to be quite honest, I think it was on our "to-do list." Oh yeah, to find kick-ass weapons, most likely gardening tools that we can use to help keep us alive. Lamby, who is actually called Sam Lamb, is the eldest and the only one with any driving experience...he drives the van that we stole from a couple of zombies down the street of my house, hey, don't want anyone to steal your van while your currently a flesh devouring organism? Then don't leave the keys in the ignition. It seems as if those guys had the similar idea as us, go in the van and drive around finding everything you need, while running over shed loads of zombies on your way of course, why not? Might as well do something useful before you die right?

Well, as I was saying, Lamby was driving, Mary...his girlfriend was in the seat next to him and Shane was on the other seat next to the window. Guess where I was, not in the back if that was what you were thinking. No, as I was the smallest at five foot three I was forced to seat in the area by Shane's feet. Joy. Oh, and by the way...my name is Sam or Sammy, not bothered by what you call me really. Except Samantha; I _really_ hate that.

There was a crash as the van went through the automatic doors that were a bit too small to fit a van through. We all grabbed our melee weapons and through open the van door and so far the zombies weren't close enough to get to us so me and Shane ran to the back of the van and opened the doors and I jumped inside where loads of stolen goods such as food, water, clothes and whatever supplies we fancied to pick up. For instance, for Mary it was make up, but for me it was hair dye. Oh well, I'll just nick Mary's make up. Mary was in the driving seat, the doors to where we were sitting were now closed for her protection while I waited in the back hitting zombies in the face or the throat with my crowbar while Lamby and Shane followed the van as Mary drove it through the store throwing whatever they can such as tools and supplies that we could use into the back of the van while fighting off the jaws of filthy, blood stained things that were no longer human.

I had caught whatever they threw at me, well...most of the things, I lie...some of the things they threw at me. I could tell this was going to take a while for us to get used to. "That's enough!" I called, and the guys closed the doors with me inside and ran to the front to inhabit the seats. I guessed Lamby was back in the driving seat when the driving was so much better as we headed towards our special entrance. I went by the others, I could see them though I was kept away from them by being in here, and we were all laughing with relief as we were back on the main road that had no cars on it whatsoever.

It was strange, you expect there to be more abandoned cars everywhere but no, because the gas didn't come into affect straight away. First it made you stressed, and then you lost most of your hair before craving raw meat. It was even stranger to watch those that you've known for years or maybe your whole life fall to this disease from a gas the government planted in our town. They told us this, after they locked us in, they said after two weeks of the gas being in play any survivors to go to one of the main gates and we would be released and become...well, rich and famous! Or, that's what we say, but it's most likely just the rich but keep quiet else you'll be dropped right back into the dystopian hell-hole. I'm sorry, but how can't the rest of world know about a town practically being used as a human-guinea pig farm for the government? Being kept inside against their will, we kept a calendar with us; we will keep an eye on the date before we can go the nearest main gate at noon so we can be free and return to our families. You see, we moved to this town together for a Hurlingborough University four year course in IT & Business, we completed that, well, Mary did Child Care because she didn't get good enough grades for IT & Business. Than after that, when we were twenty (me) and twenty-one (the others), we decided to do different courses, you know...be more independent. I did Film & Media studies, Shane did advanced in IT & Business, Lamby did mechanics while Mary went on to do Health & Social. These courses were another five years, we had finished about three months before the "test" occurred. So now, we were between the ages of twenty-five and twenty-six.

I cannot wait to get out of this place; it would be such a relief. Today, it was the third day of this catastrophe, today was really the main day as the other two days was when the gas was starting to affect people. Though the thing was, unlike normal zombies when you get bitten by one and you turn, with these you don't. If you are immune to the gas than you are immune to the virus, great I know! But, the only bad thing is, you will be killed by forever hungry creatures of hell, and I swear they can smell blood. But, not really, not like the movies...these, things are not exactly like zombies but we can't call them human, they don't have strong sense of smell and zombies in fiction. They had the same sense of smell as they did before they got infected.

To be honest, it was surprising at how many people were actually still alive, apparently a lot had occupied houses near the gates which our special little group thinks is a bad idea as all them people are going to attract unwanted attention from the zombies. See, we had it all figured out, we know the do's and don'ts, plus, we spoke about a house just earlier today that we should check out. You know, to see if it would make a good hideout. It was a large house in the middle of some land with a garage surrounded by a brick wall with a large iron gate. Sound's protected right? Let's hope so, else we have no choice but to join the others by one of the two main gates.

"Sam?"

I was pulled from my intense train of thought and because of everything that has happened I almost jumped out of my skin, "sorry Mary. What is it?" they had rather amused looks on their faces, gee...thanks guys.

"We're going to head to that house on The Avenue," here is fact for you people about that house, back in the mid 19th century it used to be a beautiful opera house owned by a rich, beautiful family called Blanc. They were French, religious and from what I've heard about that family they were ignorant and selfish. But in the mid 20th century the opera house was converted into a large house where the Blanc family lived off of their talents to produce hypnotizing plays and architecture.

"Well, it will only take a few minutes to get there from where we are now anyway," spoke Lamby, the eldest of the group and our magical...wonderful driver who got lessons from his family for his twenty-first birthday, the rest of us couldn't be arsed with driving...well Mary had recently while me and Shane stuck with motorcycles – which weren't really ideal for a zombie attack even though they are quick and agile but you see...we aren't brave enough to use transport that will leave us in the open and have no protection but speed from the zombies that would pull one off the motorbike. Wow I miss my bike...the Honda R18, a design from 2013, so it wasn't that old. I'm just happy that it wasn't in Hurlingborough anyway, it was at my Dad's in Leicester getting fixed as he found something wrong with it. I don't know what it was mind you, I only know a few brand names and how to ride one...maybe a few engines to push it.

I felt something touch my face for only a second, I looked to find that Shane had poked my cheek with his slightly tanned finger whose tips were a little flat due to working way too much with a keyboard – and I often teased him about it, calling him a nerd and how his fingers have moulded to the shape best for his work with computers. He went to poke my cheek again but I snapped my teeth at him, "Hey! Don't make me throw you out there with the Snappers!" we both chuckled, you're probably wondering what we call the Snappers, well...haven't you figured it out yet? Snappers are what everyone else with a brain calls zombies or 'infected' if they generous, nice people. We found that before when we were almost obsessed with zombies that whenever we talked about them we would dream about them but whenever we called them something else we didn't dream about them. So...that's why we call them Snappers.

Lamby stopped, here we were. Outside the large iron gate with a beautiful, impressive house about hundred yards along a sand coloured gravel path, we looked up and down the street before Lamby volunteered to step out of the van to press a button on the communicator, unknowing to us all whether or not the person that lived in this house now was still alive or was now a Snapper.

No voice had come from over the com but the gate began to slide open toward the left, Lamby turned us and shrugged with a grinned before climbing back into the van. "Well that easy," he drove the van into the drive way and parked by the garage next to the large house. They all jumped out of the van and Mary opened the back so I could get out, when I jumped out with the help of Mary I saw the gate sliding back to a close. I closed the van's back doors and we all watched the house, still there was nothing.

**A/N: There is no such place in England as Hurlingborough; I just made that place up, and Hurlingborough is actually based on my hometown which I'm not going to say what my hometown is because I'm not stupid. Yay for common sense! So, how did you guys think of the first chapter? R&R Please! **


	2. Man in a Mask

**A/N: I don't own Phantom of the Opera, the only part of this story I do own is well...everything that's not Phantom of the Opera. **

**Shelter Me.**

**Chapter 1**

**Man in a Mask**

**18:05pm**

**Day 3 (out of 14)**

**3****rd**** May 2015**

The group waited anxiously for who their saviour was, if one could class him as their saviour for doing such a little thing as opening the gate and closing the gate behind them. Mary stood next to her boyfriend and they entwined their fingers as they continued to watch nervously. Why hadn't the person responsible for opening the gate come out yet? Sam went over to her best friend Shane who stood at exactly six foot, at least a foot taller than tiny Sam. They both looked at each other and when the door opened slowly they made an 'o' shape with their mouths, "ooooh! I wonder whose inside," Shane began to skip towards the door; Sam would have "face-palmed" if it wasn't for the fact it was something she would do also.

Shane still had his melee weapon in firm grip and used it to open the door further as he dared not to touch the glossed wood. He poked his head inside, "wow," he gaped at the intricate interior. The main door led to a maze of a hallway. The hallway went straight forward to the back of the house with other hallways going left or right. Down the back of the main hallway was large flight of stairs in the centre decorated with naked human statues with red velvet covering their "sexual areas". Shane stood in the doorway, and scanned from left to right from there, on either side of him there was a small hallway, on his right it opened up to a kitchen with probably all the possible utensils and equipment ever made for a kitchen was in this large kitchen stroke dining room. To his left, the hallway opened up to a sitting room with one hundred and fifty inch plasma HD TV mounted upon the wall. "Now that's the biggest TV I've ever seen!" except for the cinema of course, but that doesn't count.

Shane turned and motioned to the others to follow him inside. There was a bleep and Mary screamed in fright. Lamby had his finger in his ear afterwards; he had the key to the van pointed to the van. "Lamby. Really? Was that really necessary to lock the van door?" queried Sam.

The other Sam, the Sam known as Lamby ever since they all met all those years ago because of his last name gave the younger Sam a look, "Shush you! I don't want anyone to steal my baby,"

Both Mary and Sam quirked their eyebrows at him, "Babe, I thought your baby was your mini?" asked Mary. Before the sudden attacks Lamby had a green mini that he had modified himself and almost practically built himself.

"Yeah, but someone stole my precious Petunia!" remarked Lamby in a defensive tone. Sam laughed at him, Mary just shook her head and they all walked towards the house not knowing that they were being watched by someone unknown to them and anyone by the upstairs window of the music room.

Sam was the last to step in and the door closed shut on its own, though it didn't bang and above it was a sensor or some sort of machine. Sam stared at it and pointed, "Whoever this person is they are rich,"

"No shit Sam, take a look at this person's TV!" Shane practically ran into the sitting room and jumped over the back of the large white sectional settee a few metres in front of the television probably too big for anyone. "How awesome is this!" Shane was lounging messily upon the white settee and scrunched up the cushions from the sudden movement and mud from his shoes dotted the white smooth fabric.

Sam remained in the doorway of the sitting room, also in there was a black classic grand piano, shining in the light coming from the double glazed window beside it. Sam noticed what Shane had done to the settee and realised that Mary and Lamby hadn't noticed as they were too busy holding each other in their arms. Something they haven't done since this whole mess with the Government started. "Oh come on Shane," Sam shook her head, "show some respect, I doubt it if the person whose kind enough to let us in would like the fact that you've completely messed up his or hers sofa!" moaned Sam.

"Your quite right, I don't like it what you friend has done despite I hardly ever use the settee myself," Sam was startled by the sudden deep voice behind her and the others head snapped up in surprise. Sam turned, she hadn't even heard him walk behind her, or breath, or even feel the strong presence she felt now she knew he was there. Shane jumped up off the settee and tried brushing off the mud onto the pale laminate flooring; it did little good as now there was mud on the floor and mud marks rubbed on the settee.

Sam took quick steps into the sitting room and turning around at the same time, bumping into Mary. Sam took a good look at the stranger; he was tall, and six foot six and muscular but not that broad which suited what Sam could see of his face as the left side of his face was covered by a white thin leather mask that looked as if it was glued on his face as no strings could be seen. His eyes were so incredibly green that it reminded Sam of Summers grass and probably reminded Lamby of his lost mini car. The man's hair was such a dark brown it looked almost black and it was sleeked back in an old fashioned style which many would not choose to have but it fitted this man perfectly.

They all stared at him, probably all wondering the same thing. Why is he wearing a mask? Mary looked him over and then glanced at Sam. Mary smirked at her boyfriend and whispered something in his ear. Lamby smirked also after glancing at Sam who was now staring at them along with Shane and the masked Stranger. Shane was the first to break the silence for everyone ever since the stranger spoke. "Well, this must be the greatest first impression in the world," Shane walked towards the stranger and held out his slightly tanned hand. "I'm Shane," Shane grinned.

The stranger nodded and shook his hand like a true gentleman. Sam looked towards Mary and they smiled at each other and pulled the face they always did when they saw a man that they both thought was sexy, they both chuckled lightly at the confusion on the man's face. "Sorry, I'm Sam. But everyone calls me Lamby or Samuel because of this one here," he pointed towards the younger and female Sam in a mocking anger and jokingly narrowed his eyes. He looked back towards the tall stranger, which title fitted him well, because he wore a mask, hair sleeked back and wore rich looking clothes which were in fact strange to the others. "Never mind these two, they do that when they both agree a guy is hot," Lamby said with a shrug, not really bothered by the fact that his girlfriend, best friend and lover had been looking at another guy. Well, really one could say he was used to it as the girls did it all the time.

The two girls made fake shocked faces and even flushed a little bit. Despite having a rather sexy body in the eyes of Sam he also had a rather handsome face to match. But what she pondered about was still the mask. The masked man nodded once and looked towards Sam, "oh right, yeah. Erm, I'm Samantha, just call me Sam, and that's Mary," Sam motioned towards Mary and she waved.

Shane went over to the masked stranger and looked up at him, "so, what's your name?" he asked bluntly.

"Erik,"

After a number of awkward, silent moments Shane puffed out some air and was swinging back on forth of heels with his arms hanging down so they swayed when he moved. "Soooo, Erik. Do you have an Xbox?"

The three either groaned or gave Shane a 'just really?' look. "Shane, we're in the middle of an Government experiment with most of the people we knew turned into Snappers and eating people off the streets or whatever and all you can think of is an Xbox?" responded Sam with a risen eyebrow.

"I haven't been online for a few days okay!" he looked back towards Erik. "So, do you?"

"No, I don't need to trouble myself with such devices," with that Erik turned on his heel and headed back upstairs. He stopped and looked over his shoulder, "clean up that settee," he commanded before continuing up the grand staircase.

Shane mimicked him, "clean up that settee," he put on a fake posh voice before leaving the sitting room to the kitchen for a dust ban and brush and a damp cloth.

Mary and Lamby went over and sat on a clean section of the settee; Mary rested her head in the crook of Lamby's neck and closed her eyes. He had his arms around her waist as they cuddled up together for the first time in a few days.

Sam sighed and walked into the main hallway. She quickly glanced through the arch that led to the kitchen and saw Shane ruffling through some lower cupboards for a dust ban and brush. Sam walked down the hallway as she decided to explore the building. She came to a door and opened it, it was a downstairs bathroom, and it practically glowed inside with gold, white and yellow. The marble shined in the dim light and there was no bath just a walk in shower. She closed the door again and turned around and opened another door. It was a study and a library, the room was lined with high extravagant shelves filled with books and papers. There was desk at the far end of the room with a throne like chair behind it and a small settee in front of it. The desk had the brand new Toshiba, Apple Mac book Hybrid that only came at last week. It was voted the best laptop of the 21st century. There was also a lamp and more papers and a jar of pens and pencils.

Sam closed the door and moved on to the next, it was jammed or something. Sam tried harder to open it. "That's off bounds," Sam almost jumped out her skin and banged her on the door.

"Ow," she held her head and looked up at Erik. "Why is it? It's just a room,"

Something dangerous flashed in his gorgeous eyes that made Sam go silent and swallow a lump in throat. He stood dangerously close and brought his face closer to hers but not in the good way. He was so sinister and his personality was a bloodcurdling unpleasant. "Because I said it is," he sneered through grinding teeth. Sam had her back flat against the door in her sad attempt to put more space between them. Erik's fist slammed into the door next to her head, "leave. That. Room. Alone," with that he left for the study and slammed the door shut behind him.

Shane had walked by to see Erik hit the door, Shane rushed over to Sam. "Wow you alright?"

Sam glanced at him, and blinked, "huh? Yeah I'm fine. He's such a dick," parts of Sam wanted to go into the study and shout at him, or apologise and say she didn't know and didn't mean to upset him. But a bigger part told her just to leave him and let him be angry, she didn't have the right to go in there anyway whatever it was. It's not her house and he was every respect and right to stop anyone going into a room that he doesn't wish for them to see. Shane sighed and gave Sam a look.

"Yes, yes he is" Shane turned and headed back towards the sitting room with the damp cloth flung over one shoulder and the dust ban and brush in his hands. He stopped and looked at her again with his chocolate brown eyes, "what you planning on doing?"

Sam shrugged, "might just go get the stuff out the van," Shane nodded and went into the sitting room. Sam sighed in defeat and walked forward but stopped by the closed door of the study. She took a deep breath and knocked on the door, bracing herself for whatever this man, this Erik would do next.

**A/N: The appearance of Erik is how he was in 2004 Andrew Lloyd Webber Phantom of the Opera. Except for the clothes, that would be odd. **


	3. Unnecessary Apologies

**A/N: I don't own Phantom of the Opera, the only part of this story I do own is well...everything that's not Phantom of the Opera.**

**Shelter Me.**

**Chapter 2**

**Unnecessary Apologies**

**18:16pm**

**Day 3 (out of 14)**

**3****rd**** May 2015**

**Sammy POV**

For some reason I felt so nervous while knocking on the door, the only thing was – I had no idea of what that reason was. There was no response at all from the other side of the glossy, elegantly carved wooden door after my soft knocks, I sighed sadly and figured he wanted to alone and wanted nothing to do with the likes of us common folk. But then again, why would he open the gate for us if he didn't want us here? Was he expecting someone else? Maybe. As I took a step back and half turned to face the intricate hallway again I heard what I had been waiting for, the deep voice that had anger and sorrow from an unforgivable past was hidden deep within it. "Come," his alluring voice was muffled by the thick walls that separated us but I could hear him clearly in the hallway that was all but silent and it sent a pleasing shiver down my spine. I put my hand on the golden door handle that had curves carved into it, it felt a little strange underneath my warm palm but I ignored the insignificant facts of how oddly good the markings felt and how my nerves made my petite palms sweat slightly, I'm not going to deny it either, I'm actually a little scared of this guy. I pulled down the handle and slowly opened the door. I poked my head in through the door, my growing hair hanging down just past my jaw and almost instantly I caught the burning smell of a rose incense stick. "Well come in and close the door," I guess I'm not only one that has a craze for closed doors that people find peculiar, but the thing is...I can't stand it when doors are wide open.

"Sorry," a rather unnecessary apology but according to Shane I do that a lot...apparently, and then apologise for apologise, now that's something I have noticed various times before. He was rather intimidating; his voice was confident and clear while my stupid apology was nothing more than a pathetic mumble. I opened the door wider and to my surprise the door didn't creak at all, I stepped through and closed the door behind me, the quiet dull thud I noted to be the only sound I have heard the door compose since I opened it . I didn't move from in front of the door, my hands together behind me and my fingers were pulling and fiddling at my sleeves at the tension. If truth be told I was a little scared to gaze at his face directly so I was looked just beside his head. Something an old teacher taught me to do in job interviews because I always had a difficulty looking people and even animals in the eye for more than a few seconds - if that.

Erik was sitting was on the throne like chair that was cushioned with red velvet and the main frame of the elaborate chair was a dull but no less beautiful; gold. He slid his fingers off the smooth keyboard in front of him and looked at me, bored into my very soul with his green orbs. "What do you want?" the way he asked made the question seem less rude than it actually was.

The feeling of shouting at him had completely dissolved inside of me; the heat of it vanished and turned to a chilling fear that was brought when the recollection of being alone with this stranger in a room a distance away from the others popped into my mind. I knew why of course, because even though he looked absolutely gorgeous plus the mystery of what was lurking beneath the mask added to his sex appeal but he was so intimidating and frightening thanks to his horrific personality. "Well, I...erm," I felt so small that I stumbled over my words under the pressure, thanks a lot Dyslexia. "I wanted to say sorry, I didn't mean to upset you about that room. You see I was just exploring, I have a rather curious nature and tend to do things like that," great, now I was babbling like a loon. _One moment you can't talk at all, the next you can't stop, for Jesus Christ Sam you're an idiot! Shut up! Cut yourself off before you look weirder than you already do,_ "even when that strange gut feeling tells you not to go somewhere I still go! Kinda like watching a slasher movie...," _anytime soon Sam would be great..._ "No matter how much we shout at the TV they still go into the room that leads to their death, so, does that mean if I was ever in a slasher movie I would end up dying? Hmmm...not a good sign...and, erm...I'm going to stop talking now,"

I noticed that half way through my embarrassing rant that the corners of Erik's full lips rose at the corners to reveal a smile that neither I nor the others have seen in our short time here. He stood and walked round the desk and leaned back against the dark wood. He crossed his ankles and crossed his arms over his delicious chest and continued to smile with amusement at my humiliation and crumpling self-confidence. "I see I make you nervous. For that I apologise, and for scaring you earlier. It was uncalled for and irrational of me, you see Samantha, I have a short temper – especially when it comes to my secrets,"

I'm such a bleb to think that Erik was completely bad, how could I have been so judgmental? But then again, can you blame me? "I bet," I smiled before waving it off and tried to reassure him with a

Highly predictable "It's alright."

"No, it's not alright," He straightened up off the desk roamed across the library stroke study and stood before me in his godlike greatness. He placed his strong hands on my forearms and looked me directly in the eye, I tried my hardest to look him in the eye but I just couldn't. He instantly caught up on this and made me look at him as he directed my chin, I know, I'll look at the top of his nose and between his eyes instead. Yeah! That would work. "I practically threatened you, and I feel terrible for it. You should allow me to make it up to you," I looked him in the eyes than, only for a few seconds before putting my attention back between his eyes. I had seen the sincerity in this eyes that I had heard in his voice, as I heard the hidden anger and sorrow buried deep behind his top emotion.

"Sorry, erm...you don't need too, I mean, well, you let us into your home that's safe and secure by the look's of it," he nodded in agreement, the house was very much secure and safe against the flesh eating infected whose bellies got bigger the more flesh, guts and muscle they ate. His face made a quick change of emotion before flickering back to what it was. "We didn't even think anyone lived here anymore, we all thought the Blanc family died in that tragic fire," I shrugged, I didn't even think of that but now I said it without realising, but then I remembered something else, before when we were exchanging names he hadn't told us his surname so there was chance he wasn't a Blanc, maybe a survivor looking for safety like them? Most likely brought the house after the death of the Blanc's as he was too familiar and confident with this place and its item's to just use it as a hide out. "Anyway, you've done enough just by letting us in-"

"Not just letting you in, but also letting you stay here until the two weeks are up and you can leave for the outside world," Erik dropped his hands and connected his hand together in front of him and entwined his fingers.

"Oh yeah, not even two weeks as today is the third day, so it's eleven days," I shrugged and shoved my hands into the pockets of my hooded jumper. A sudden thought came to me, "will you be coming with us? To the gates on the fourteenth I mean," surely he wasn't going to stay here, he would surely die.

"My fate is not yet clear. Whether or not I will join you and your friends on the fourteenth is unknown to me, and a decision that you and your friend's should make," was he being serious? God, he looked serious.

"Okay...I make the decision now that you can come with us in the end," simply put, but oh well - I wasn't going to let anyone die if I could stop it, even if they did have major flaws in their personality.

"Not just you, but all of you," he shook his head.

"What like a vote?"

He shook his head again, "no, you all must agree, even if one denies my journey to freedom with the rest of you I will not go. I will stay here and..." he couldn't finish his sentence.

"Die?" I finished for him and we both nodded our heads, "I'm afraid that the Government will kill you before the Snappers reach you," he quirked his eyebrow a bit at the word 'Snappers' but asked nothing of it. He had a knowing look on his face. Well, what could be seen of his gracious face.

"I know, they are going to bomb Hurlingborough, slaughtering all that do not make it to the gates by day seventeen," so, your given three days to reach the gate after the deadline before you are blown to smithereens, great. I still couldn't believe it, I know I should but I couldn't, what the Government was doing was absolutely disgraceful! No one would ever imagine such a thing to happen until it was too late -much like the Holocaust- well, unlike me and the others but the conversations we had were just jokes. None of it was serious and we astonished that our so-called plan actually worked.

I looked to the ground, "it still shocks me that they could do this to their own people," I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, I felt the pressure of arms wrapping around me, embracing me into a comforting hug and my forehead was on his chest as I had opened my eyes and stared at the ground, my arms unknowingly went up and hugged him back like some kind of unusual reflex.I realised I was still holding that deep breath so I released it and it sounded shaky and jagged. I suddenly laughed and stepped back from the warm embrace from someone I didn't know anything at all apart from his name. "Ha, sorry," Oh God, I wished he would hold me again.

"For what?"

"For being a pussy hole," I laughed nervously, before looking at the door, the moment was beginning to get strange and a little overwhelming. "Well, erm, I think I should start bringing in some things from the van. That's if, it's okay with you?" I didn't want to seem like we would outstay our welcome already and look like a group of hooligans that are going to take over his home and everything in it and treat him like dirt and maybe even kill him. You know, like the people you sometimes see in the movies that are so desperate they will doing anything to anyone if it meant survival for themselves; like that group hiding out in the desert in Resident Evil: Extinction, the third one I think.

Erik just nodded in response and raised his hand to motion towards the door as if say, 'be my guest' I looked down at the ground and smiled slightly before exiting the study. I closed the door behind me as quietly as possible before walking down the hallway, I walked past several side hallways and I wondered what was contained behind the numerous doors.

I reached the front door but turned towards the arch to the living room. "Mary...Mary...Mary...Mary...Maaaary! MARY!" I called to her; she looked up from Sam's shoulder and stared at me.

"What?" she said groggily, how was she so tired? She didn't do much in the recent zombie kickass-ing today.

"Come help me with the van," she nodded and got up off the settee and stretched her back and arms like a cat before walking over to me. I saw Lamby watch her walk for a few seconds before looking back at the extremely large television that was playing an old movie, The Sound of Music on a DVD or Blu-Ray player, though I couldn't be bothered enough to take a closer look at which one it was but I noticed that the quality and age of the camera they used to make this film was 'a bit dodgy' compared to the cameras they used nowadays made the viewing on the very modern television look outlandish and bizarre. I was surprised that Shane could watch a techni-coloured film without complaining, he must like the story itself despite how ancient it is, I wouldn't know however, because I haven't seen it. "Lamby! Chuck us the keys," us, as in me. I have no idea why but sometimes I say us instead me but with my accent its 'ma' anyway so it doesn't matter. He pulled them out the pockets of his denim trousers and 'chucked' them behind himself and over his head towards me. But, because I'm useless and a terrible catch and I knew I wouldn't catch them anyway even if I had tried my hardest so I just let the keys hit the ground with a sudden loss of jingle as they landed on the pale laminate flooring at my feet. I doubled over and picked them up, "cheers Lamby,"

So then, I and Mary exited the house and as we walked over to the van I pressed the button on the keys and we heard the bleep of the doors unlocking and saw the orange flash on the van's parking lights. I opened the back door and looked like I was glancing at the things we have stolen from numerous places, but really my mind was elsewhere and Mary caught the look in the eye. Damn, why did she have to know me well? "What's up? You suddenly look down," she stood next to me and was staring at me with worry in her eyes that were decorated with stolen make-up, all this stealing that we doing in the sudden events; does it make us looters? God, no wonder Erik doesn't trust us.

**A/N Another chapter done! Woo, so you got a bit more insight into the main protagonist, Sammy plus Erik is showing a much nicer side Yay! Anyway, I'm going to apologise now because it fits into the chapter title that if Erik may seem a little OOC, and my excuse to that is that it's set in the near future. Don't worry though! More canon characters will appear in the story I promise you! **

**Shout out to xXThe-Last-Femme-Prime for being my first reviewer! Woo, round of applause! **


	4. Do They Ever Sleep?

**A/N: I don't own Phantom of the Opera, the only part of this story I do own is well...everything that's not Phantom of the Opera. Don't worry, I've actually read through this one! I promise I won't be lazy anymore!**

**Shelter Me.**

**Chapter 3**

**Do They Ever Sleep? **

**00:58am**

**Day 4 (out of 14)**

**4th May 2015**

Shane was the last one out of the newcomers that headed towards one of the spare bedrooms that Erik had hand-picked for Shane as he did with all the others earlier on. Shane entered the bedroom and groaned, though it was a decent size the single bed which was in the centre of the wall had its bed sheets and quilts folded up at the end of the bed and all Shane wanted to do was lie down and sleep. Sleep and dream about the big breasted airbrushed girls seen in the magazines, the ones who he will most likely never get the pleasure of meeting let alone actually sleeping with them. Shane scanned the room and he shivered, along the wall opposite his bed were full body mirrors along the entire wall, "creepy," mumbled Shane. "Who would do that?" he shook his head and began to sort out his bed. The light above him gave off good enough light to flood the entire room with its artificial radiance which was hidden from the outside world and the sight of the 'Snappers' by thick sheeted blinds that pull down and solid black curtains. He felt safer already, for the first time in couple of days he felt as if he could sleep without anything to worry about.

Sam rolled over on her right side; she had been given a room with a double bed with silken modern yet vintage style sheets and thick soft pillow and she was surprised that she hadn't fallen asleep yet because she was so comfortable. But, she knew why she couldn't sleep; Lamby and Mary were in the room next to hers...having sex. Sam was staring at the ceiling and couldn't help but listen to the sounds of their love making next door. She didn't want to, she tried to cover her ears with her pillow but she could still hear them so she gave up. She sat up on her bed; she lay in the middle of the double bed as it made her feel safer, as if the empty space around her petite form would protect her from the nightmares that lurked outside beyond the wall around Erik's elegant property. Sam moved so she was on her knees facing the wall, she banged on the wall, "shut up will ya! For God Sake it's one in the morning!" Sam was drained of energy and wanted to sleep but she couldn't, she even had the weird sensation under the eyelids you get when you're tired, the feeling one gets about an hour before their eyes grow heavy if one has not slept. But instead of silence she just heard laughing crossed with pleasured groans from next door.

Sam sighed and climbed off her bed and headed towards the door of the dark bedroom, "Ow ya' Bastard!" she yelled as she fell flat on her face after getting her foot caught underneath the artificial cream fur rug on the dark carpet. She stood up and she felt a headache growing on the side of her head. She continued towards the door – more careful and cautious than before and found the door but had to feel around a little bit for the handle. Sam had no idea if she was going to knock on their door and tell them to shut up else she'll get Erik to make them sleep in separate rooms or see Shane and talk with him for a bit. When she opened the door and looked up and down the hallway she saw the light shining from underneath Shane's door go out and the sounds of Mary and Lamby 'enjoying themselves' still loud in her ears...but something else stirred the silence of the large house; Sam straightened up off the wall she was leaning on and went towards the banister to lean over it to try and stare downstairs. She could see nothing but the sound was louder – someone was playing the Grand Piano downstairs. It must have been Erik, who else would be? Shane had just gone to bed and Lamby and Mary were...well, you know – having sex.

Sam walked slowly down the beautiful, intricate staircase that made her feel sp poor and underprivileged compared to her real home; it was like the expensive luxuries had been hiding from her all this time and it took a disastrous event that can affect the entire world if it got out of hand; just to see something as beautiful and special as this house.

The hypnotising sounds grew louder as Sam got further and further down the staircase feeling out of place in her chocolate brown soft, woollen type pyjama bottoms with cream and soft, light pink spots with a chocolate brown cotton top that hugged her petite form. The house was colder as the fire in the living room had been distinguished hours ago so most of the heat that was left had travelled upstairs- heat rises you know. The chill made goosebumps appear on her bare lower arms and she rubbed her arms hoping the friction will temporally get rid of them and the sound of her bare feet patting along the cold floor, but it still didn't overwhelm the invisible beauty floating in the air. She walked down the larger hallway and poked her head through the arch to the living room.

There he was, sitting on the gorgeous sleek black Grand Piano playing a soft tune that sounded so sad and minor but Sam was so absorbed to it and she couldn't bear to tear her mind away from it. She noticed that his mask was on top of the Grand Piano but he had his back to her so she couldn't see his face. The mellow tune he played made Sam's heart sink in the sudden flood of heartbreaking emotions that made her sigh in remorse – his fingers stopped heavily on the pale white ivory keys which ended the hypnotic music in a sudden violent, negative sound and his hand snatched for his mask and rushed to put it back on. "Why aren't you asleep?" he snapped, "I...I could have killed you! You stupid woman!" he jumped off the cushioned stool and faced her now but remained at that distance and held the mask on his face. Sam finally noticed the 9mm handgun on top of the Grand Piano.

Sam gripped onto the arch with her hand and looked down at the ground instead of looking up at him. He made her feel like a disobedient child that was being told off for running down the stairs because of the risk of falling. "I...I..." she stammered over her words, he was so intimidating and it didn't help for the fact that he was so much bigger than she was, rich and clearly powerful. Plus, he was so bitter and harsh, but he could be nice like he was in the study earlier on, Sam had a thought, was he mentally insane? Did he have some kind of mental condition that made him flip like a switch?

"Spit it out woman!" he scolded, Sam risked a glance upwards and saw what looked like a vain begin to appear on the uncovered side of his head and his face grow a little flushed with anger which she noticed thanks to the wavering light from the various candle lit aflame around the living room. However, Sam grew flushed because she was embarrassed and felt like a child and she even tried to take frightened little steps back as he rushed forward in anger at the feeling that she was ignoring him. He hated being ignored, he loathed it! If he asked a question – he wanted the answer then and there due to his impatience that made him look worse than he actually was when his temper wasn't generated.

"I couldn't sleep!" she managed to call out as he grabbed her forearms, her eyes were closed tight and she was wincing, though she didn't say that he was hurting her even though he knew he was as he shook her, why didn't she complain? Was she too proud? Was she stupid? Or couldn't she feel it?

Erik sighed and let go of her arms, the cotton fabric had been soft under his hardened fingers but the fabric was taken for granted by his touch as it had crumbled up with his grip. He looked down at her, anger still there but it mixed with concern and apologies. She was staring down the ground, refusing to look at him again which stung him. He had always known for people to stare at him, if it wasn't his sweet, sweet music than it was his hideous, disgusting face. He remembered when he was mistaken for a demon by his own mother who had abandoned him on the streets of Paris when he was only six, hoping the starving stray dogs will tear him pieces for their meal. But, instead of that he had been found by a kind atheist woman that thought the whole idea of supernatural beings and religion was ridiculous and a method to keep people in line and another way to teach them morals. The woman's name was Madame Antoinette Giry with a daughter named Megan the same age as he was, though over the years he had forgotten the cruelty he had suffered before his time with Giry but when he lost the Giry's at age fourteen and his deformity had grown more profound and looked more like battle scars as the flesh overlapped in some places and forced to stretch in others – and those areas were tender to the touch. He never thought anyone would take care of him again after the death of his adoptive mother and after his 'sister' Megan was quickly adopted from the orphanage they lived in... "Sorry," he muttered.

Sam was shaking slightly and she tried to swallow a lump in her throat, and Erik knew from her closed body language that he undeniably had hurt her. Her side leaned against the wall and she continued to stare at the ground, Erik took hold her chin sympathetically and lifted it so she had to look at him. Her hazel eyes still didn't look at him, which gave him a weird feeling inside of his gut as he couldn't get over the fact that she refused to look at him, why wasn't she looking at him? He was so used to people staring at him – so much that this moment was alien to him. Erik cleared his throat that dropped a hint to her to look at him and she complied. He reminded her of Christine, small...fragile and beautiful, her face changed and took on the appearance of Christine which made his heart throb and pick a new and faster rhythm as all he saw now was Christine's face instead of Sam's. The tips of his fingers that have hardened from the years of instrument playing gracefully slid over the smooth skin of Christine's face and she closed her eyes at the tenderness of the enchanting touch of the famous composer.

He couldn't stop himself, he missed Christine so much, he brushed the side of her face with his mask covered cheek and the touch gave him a sudden sensation on the deformity that hid under the mask. He gave Christine a soft kiss on her delicate lips and his heart skipped a beat when his lovely Christine didn't pull away from his intentions and returned his soft kiss with a gentle one of her own and lightly brushed the bare side of his face with her slender fingers that slid down and stroked his strong jaw line which made him shiver in pleasure and want the petite vulnerable Christine even more. He wanted her right now; he wanted to touch her, to feel her, to smell her. Their lips continued to slowly dance as if getting used to one another, as if this was the first time he had ever kissed Christine – which was false, Christine had been his once before and this is sign that she is again – the kiss started to get less soft as more force and passion was put into it, oh how he longed for her warmth again. Christine's hand still remained stroking his jaw line, while the other toyed with the buttons on his shirt – both to tease him. He sighed with pleasure at the thought of making love with her once more, "Christine..." he breathed out, she suddenly stopped and her hands dropped from his body and face.

He looked at her and saw her take a slow step back while shaking her head. "I'm so sorry, but...I'm not Christine," Christine's face was gone and it was replaced with Sam's hurt one, Erik opened his mouth to speak but what could he tell her? Sorry, but your face changed and looked exactly like an ex-lovers? Of course he couldn't.

"Sam..." His words were soft and apologetic as he took a step forward in order to comfort her for his mistake but instead...

"I better return to bed, I hope you find Christine again someday," she smiled warmly but spoke quickly and turned on her heels and walked hastily towards the stairs. Erik watched her back as she left him standing alone drowning in a pool of regret and self-hatred. How could he let something like that happen? How brainless could he be! Of course Christine wasn't here! And if she was it would probably to tell him that he's an A-class monster. He wanted to follow Sam and make things right by apologising about his confusion and didn't mean to do what he did – because he didn't want to kiss her, he wanted to kiss Christine. Those were harsh thoughts which Erik shook his head at, plus he couldn't go say that to her! It would only make matters worse and all the more awkward.

"How could I be so stupid?" Sam asked herself as she reached the top of the stairs and headed down the hallway towards her room. She wasn't going to cry of course, she's only ever cried over one guy in her entire life and Erik was not that guy, Erik was some other guy that was clearly interested in someone else anyway...a girl named Christine. Though, she couldn't help but feel a little used after such a confrontation. She came to her door and stopped, she could still hear Lamby and Mary making love and of course she wasn't so she couldn't help but feel a bit jealous at their sex marathon and multiple orgasms this evening. Sam shook her head and went into her room.

Erik sighed and finally gathered the will to head to bed himself, he reached the top of the stairs and he stared down at the light coming from under Sam's door, he stood there staring at it with the sounds of the couple in their bed. The sounds of them made him think back to the days when he did what they were doing now with Christine, an experience they shared with each other. Christine of course was his first and last, as no one wished to kissed him let alone make sweet, sweet love with him – another form of melodic music he loved to do with Christine, she was so pure and innocent and last of all, his. Until Raoul, took her away from him – Raoul was her secret handsome lover that had nothing wrong with his looks, no deformities, he didn't have ravenous thoughts that controlled his minds and actions unlike Erik. Erik was snapped back to reality as Sam's light turned off, he wanted to walk in there and make her feel better and apologise sincerely for his rash actions and hasty confusion. The sounds from the room next door to hers ceased from the loud pleasured groans to blissful breathing. Erik sighed and he turned and headed towards his own room that was up another three steps that went left at the end of the hall, when he reached the stairs he heard the same sounds as he did when he first reached Sam's door. "They're at it again? Don't they ever sleep?"

**A/N that was a very detailed chapter and the longest one so far - Yay! For breaking records! Some of you will probably call me mean after this chapter for what I did to Sam but, I can honestly say I'm not going to be a nice Authoress, I may have my moments, but it will get ruined because I am evil. **


	5. Good Morning Snorlax

**Shelter Me.**

**Chapter 4**

**Good Morning Snorlax**

**10:55am**

**Day 4 (out of 14)**

**4****th**** May 2015**

Mary finally awoke from her well rested slumber to find that her lover was not next to her. "Sam?" she said, she fully opened her eyes and looked to where he should be laying – but he wasn't there. Mary rubbed the sleep from her eyes and climbed out of bed and when she had moved the soft plush quilt her to reveal her five foot six naked form she quickly covered it again not because she was naked but because the cool air-conditioned air had sent chilling tingles across her flesh. She sighed and looked around the medium sized room whose main theme was black and white and vintage floral curtains. The double bed had large black poles that blended together in the centre to make a curved triangle with smaller poles bent diagonally for decoration for both the headboard and the footboard. Mary leaned forward and took the soft black woollen blanket that was folded length ways and spread along the foot of the bed – she used it to cover herself so the chill wouldn't toy with her exposed flesh and headed towards her suitcase.

She unzipped the glossy pink suitcase that had 'Barbie' written across it in massive letters, Sam, her best friend not her boyfriend had dared her to take it, use it as her main suitcase _and_ walk out of Hurlingborough with it at the end of the horrible ordeal with pride and confidence. So, Mary agreed to the task and made Sam do the same, but with a 'Ben 10' suitcase which Sam got all excited about because she loved 'Ben 10' despite it being made for children that liked anime-type style cartoons. Mary made an amused sound and instantly felt embarrassed even though she was alone and she should know that laughing without being provoked was the least of her worries. Mary got some clothes out of the suitcase – some brand new ones that were snatched off of the rack in a 'routine' shop raids and some clothes that she had innocently purchased previous to the outrageous occurrence. She quickly got dressed as if someone was going to walk in any minute or as if she was being stared upon by some invisible figures that one always thought was there – but they never were. So she quickly pulled off the tag of her brand new panties and bra combo, the microfibre patterned with black and white zebra stripes with black lace. She then pulled on her faded pair of jeggings and a black tank, both of those were hers and brought at the till whereas the cotton and polyester dark grey button hooded jacket that she buttoned up at normal speed was looted from New Look on Day Two when her and Samantha did what loads of others were doing and made use of the towns confusion and loss of security.

Mary turned and headed towards the door and saw the clock on the white bedside table, "Shit," she moaned, no doubt she was the last one to get up, _how embarrassing _she thought dryly. Her boyfriend was always a bit of an early bird no matter what time he went sleep, and Shane and Sam were the type of people that felt rude waking up late in someone else's house unless it was each others. Well, not 'each others' any more as they all had lived together during their last year of University and shared the rent easily. Mary opened the glossy door and made her way to Sam's room, just in case she wasn't up yet – just in case she had made the same mistake Mary did. Sam always slept eight hours, well most of the time if she didn't have a reason to wake up! Mary has witnessed Sam turning off an alarm before when she hadn't got for full eight hours sleep and Mary knew Sam wouldn't have been able to sleep until Mary and Sam stopped with their fun as it has to be completely silent and black for Samantha to sleep.

Mary knocked on the door waited, there was no response and on the inside Mary knew that Sam wasn't there but she had to hope that Sam was still sleeping; she opened the door slowly and gently as she could enough to pop her head inside. She looked around the room and she liked what she saw, _why did she get a double bed as well_? It made her wander if Shane had a double bed too, and if _all _the bedrooms had double beds, and also how many bedrooms there actually was in this old converted opera house. Mary sighed, Sam wasn't there and Sam must have felt ashamed for leaving the bed looking slept in because she had neatened it up to perfection as if for a show room. So, Mary was indeed the last one awake and had to endure the humiliating jokes from her close friends that really weren't all there, so she made her way to the stairs that made her feel like a princess every time she walked down them and then she headed towards the familiar happy voices that were joking and laughing.

They were in the kitchen so that's where Mary went and heard Samantha laughing, "-just use their heads of bowling balls! Look I just took down nine toes and a thumb! Is it weird that I can actually imagine that?" Mary didn't even want to know what they were talking about even though she had a rough idea. She walked in and yawned, she saw Shane and the male Sam, aka her boyfriend laughing at Sam sitting around a glass table with glossy black chairs with high backs that looked incredibly heavy – their looks didn't deceive either- while Erik leaned against the dark marble counter with his arms crossed with an amused expression and shaking his head at their casualness about the whole thing, "Why hello there Sleeping Beauty!" Sam smiled at Mary over her should and waved.

"Sam...It's Mary. She's more of that massive sleeping blue Pokémon...you know which one I mean?" Shane spoke; it seemed that everyone was in a good mood this morning which seemed hard to come by in the movies when you're at risk of being eaten by flesh eating _Snappers._

"Snorlax?" said Lamby with a grin.

Sam pointed at him, "Geek! Geeeeeeeek!" after she lowered her hand she took a sip of pure orange juice that was in a small glass.

"Says the one obsessed with Lord of the Rings," remarked Lamby, he was right, Sam loved Lord of the Rings. She loved the films, the books and the plays in fact any adaption's to JRR Tolkien's master pieces and the real things, she couldn't get enough of them plus she has seen Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings Trilogy Extended Edition so many times that she could say every word along with it and have a conversation with someone else in reality at the same time.

Sam choked on her juice as she laughed, not really a combination one should be doing. "Touché," Sam's expression had a lowered eyebrow and she spoke in a lower voice to add effect to the word and they laughed at each other's jokes.

Mary walked in and hugged her lover from the side because the high backed chair would get in the way if she tried hugging him from behind and kissed him lightly. "Would you like some food?" asked Erik politely, it was the first time Mary had heard him speak since she was able to hear everyone. She straightened up from Lamby and turned on her heels so she could look at Erik.

"No thank you," she waved off the offer of a free breakfast as she rarely ate breakfast, in fact she only had breakfast when anyone of her friends could have been bothered to force her to have any.

"You should really eat something," said Sam, continuing the topic that Mary hoped would have ended; _I should have seen this coming_. Sam shrugged, "'cause you haven't eaten since yesterday lunch time when we took those baguettes from Greggs," Mary was used to Sam's casualness with almost everything and though it was hard to find something Sam would actually show true, hardened emotions or even deep opinions about things that was spoken of how they should be and not casual and uncaring. The main things that drove Sam over the edge are the things that affected someone's health like smoking and someone's character like fighting and even theft. But, with such circumstances one couldn't just give money to an infected cashier and expect to walk away without being bitten, she could imagine Shane daring Sam to do such a thing and Sam would:

_Shane and Sam stood outside of Subway with their melee weapons, Sam had a crowbar and Shane had a baseball bat and both had them in the same positions against their shoulders and pointing upwards diagonally and both weapons were stained with dark blood. "I dare you to walk in there, get a sandwich, and give the money to that infected chick," Sam would shrug and get her debit card ready, as she usually paid everything on her debit card – even a chocolate bar if she could because she was too lazy to get money out most of the time. _

_There would be a Snapper standing behind the till with the hat on and the correct uniform even though it being a tattered and stained in blood and other bodily fluids would watch Sam walk in casually like it was a normal day and ask for her usual, Meatball Mania and to make the dare legit a medium drink. The Snapper would groan and lazily point instead of speaking while eyeing up Sam's flesh as Sam told the gross, infected employee she wanted the Hearty Italian footlong, "might as well go all out," Sam would shrug with an amused grin. The Snapper would prepare the Subway favourite by picking up the sliced cheese with peeling, blood covered fingers that didn't contaminate Sam's food thanks to the gloves the Snapper wore. The Snapper looked up at Sam and wiggled the cheese as if to say 'would you like cheese?' and Sam nodded heartily, and the Snapper moved longer and groaned waved her arm behind her so her hand hit the toasting oven. "Yes please young Whipper-Snapper," Shane would laugh at her reference as he would be able to hear from the entrance of the store. _

_The Snapper would then place the open footlong sandwich with the meatballs and the cheese inside the toaster oven and while they had a short wait the greasy looking Snapper would pull off a large cup instead of a medium as she wasn't the most perfect employee to have. That however didn't take up the entire time so she leaned over the counter slightly and tried taking a bite out of Sam's shoulder but Sam would just simply flick the Snappers nose and shake her finger, "don't make me tell your manager," the Snapper would retreat back behind the counter looking ashamed and grunted in defeat and the slight 'ping' from behind her made her turn and retrieve the now toasted sandwich, the Snapper would place the open sandwich in front of the salad and waved a hand along it and as she did her hand fell off in to the jalapenos, she would stare down at it and Sam pulled a face, "erm...just some lettuce," but as usual Sam's accent would confuse the cashier so she would have to repeat herself. "Lettuce," the Snapper would nod in understanding and place the lettuce on the sandwich._

"_Source?" the Snapper would groan out in the best way she possibly can as if it was the only word she could say anymore. _

"_Ooooh, some mayo would be nice," the Snapper would squirt on the mayonnaise and even missed the sandwich on her first attempt with just one hand, "don't worry, I got all week," Sam chuckled and so did Shane due to the rude images coming from the white substance squirting over a bun. The Snapper closed the sandwich, wrapped it without asking if Sam even wanted it wrapped or not and slid it along and pointed to the price on the till. Sam would place her debit card in the machine and put in her pin and removed it when the time was right while the Snapper stroked Sam's fingers and Sam would have an amused but worried look. After paying for everything Sam would also pull out her Subway loyalty card, after the Snapper had dwelt with that and returned it to Sam, Sam picked up her footlong Meatball Mania and empty large cup and walked over to the drink dispenser after giving the patiently waiting Shane the thumbs up. Sam would fill up the large paper cup with Dr Pepper and place the plastic lid firmly on top and penetrate the lid's weakest point with a straw. She turned to leave and stopped dead in her tracks to see another Snapper dead on the ground by Shane's feet that wasn't there before and walked out oblivious the fact the working Snapper was trying to reach for Sam over the counter. "What happened here?" she asked while stepping over the disgruntled corpse of the dead Snapper whose brain matter was splattered on the floor, himself and on Shane's baseball bat while taking a sip of her soft drink as if she just stepped over a log._

_Shane just shrugged, "he tried taking my fag," he would say bluntly as ever putting the cigarette in his mouth and lighting it with his Zippo lighter as they begin to walk out of the shopping centre that had numerous dead Snappers dotted around the place. "I'm such a rebel,"_

"_No smoking inside _Shane_!" Sam would mock being angry and but a big emphasis on his name. _

"_Exactly!" they both laughed and as they would head towards the door Sam would say after a couple minutes of silence. _

"_Oh my God yeah, that lousy worker name Charlotte I think gave me a large instead of a medium – how goods that? But, she eyeing me up and touching me," they both shivered and would look at each other and say bluntly and simply at the same time. "Lesbian," _

Mary woke from her daydream when Shane threw a salted peanut at her forehead, "Headshot!" Sam said with pride and laughed, "I guess you're not fully awake are you? Don't blame you considering you two were up since half two in the morning!" Sam mockingly glared at Lamby who was seating next to her. "How dare you two have sex and enjoy yourselves!"

Mary shook her head with a smile at her friend's silly words and turned to Erik, "may I get a drink?" her mouth was dry with that unpleasant slimy sensation in her mouth and could still taste the intimate events of last night. Erik nodded and before he could anything Sam said:

"How dare you wish to be hydrated!" what had Sam eaten this morning? The other two chuckled whereas Erik just shrugged and opened the cupboard and handed Mary a small glass pointed to the fridge.

"There is some juice in there," Erik continued to lean against the counter with his arms crossed and he watched as Mary walked to the fridge and get out the carton of pure orange juice, she then poured it into a glass and replaced the carton back into the fridge and closed it – not too fast just in case some of the jars and eggs and other things like the wine fell off the door which will ruin the fresh, and well-organised fridge. Mary sipped on the drink and leaned against the counter next to the fridge. Erik was staring at the ground as everyone fell silent.

"Well, this is awkward," Shane blurted out before gulping down the rest of his coffee with three sugars and loads of milk, the way he loved it.

**A/N End of another chapter guys! I'm actually really proud of this story and to be honest I would rather write this than my actual book. Shame I know, someone gave me the suggestion to get this published as an adaption to PotO but just change of some things around, what do you guys think?**


	6. Heat of the Kitchen

**Shelter Me.**

**Chapter 5**

**Heat of the Kitchen**

**16:30pm**

**Day 4 (out of 14)**

**4****th**** May 2015**

Sam was busy in the kitchen cooking the traditional Sunday Roast – on a Monday; she was one that did most of the cooking in their original household on the other side of town, Mary would sometimes help her, well...maybe get the vegetables or meat out of the freezer, Lamby would be the one to clean up the kitchen after dinner while Shane would help the most by following her instructions such as peeling potatoes or carrots and keeping her company. But, she was all alone which meant she had no distractions from her thoughts, which she preferred most of the time but today, today she wanted company. Sam was alone as Shane and Lamby were playing snooker in Erik's game room while Mary was watching a Blu-ray DVD in the living room and Sam had no idea where Erik was.

Sam pulled down the metallic dark silver oven door whose handle was higher than the tip of her head to pull out the large chicken which was hidden from sight by tin foil and it had already in been for at least forty-five minutes so it was time to put the peeled and cut potatoes around the chicken so they can roast. She had left the pan on the door of the oven so she could go grab the olive oil to put on the potatoes. But she couldn't find it anywhere, which was starting to annoy her which was only amplified due to the heat that seemed to increase in the kitchen. Sam ran a hand through her short pixie style hair that had overgrown since she last got it cut, plus her light brown roots were showing; and sighed in frustration as she began to look through the cupboards in search for the olive oil that Erik had used for their breakfast while the hot air enhanced due to the oven being wide open, waiting for the food to be placed back within it. "Why have you not opened a window?"

Sam didn't even bother to look over her shoulder at the owner of the gruff voice that was undoubtedly Erik. "Because, the infected might smell it, I just don't want to attract any unwanted attention," Sam turned to lean against the counter and she crossed her arms under her breasts. "So," she shrugged, "I'm just going to gas everyone out instead," that last comment had made Erik smile a little and he went forward and stopped but began looking in one of the cupboards and pulled out the Extra Virgin olive oil he had used earlier and passed it to Sam with a smirk. Sam just took it without saying thanks and poured some over the potatoes before placing the large tray with the chicken that was half cooked and raw potatoes now covered in fresh cooking oil back into the oven and then closing the door with a click.

Sam couldn't help but remember the events of the previous night with Erik; she couldn't help but feel angry about it. Not at Erik, but at herself for being naive enough to return the kiss –that wasn't even meant for her as it turns out- and getting so into it like he had, Sam thought that maybe it was due to the fact that she hadn't got a kiss or any kind of intimacy since she was twenty-three, two whole years ago! Was she growing desperate? _Must be_, she mentally sighed. Two whole years, without a kiss and definitely without sex since she and her boyfriend had 'gone on a break' which just ended up in him telling her that he was 'over her and interested in someone else' – he was the only guy ever that Sam has had a relationship with which ended in tears, all the others were just brushed off her shoulders and were nothing a little quality time with her best friends at some Stand Up comedy gig or a trip to the cinema couldn't solve, or maybe not even that. But her last relationship had been her longest, had latest about six years with a sudden end that had broken Sam to a million pieces who had almost shunned out her friends because she was so buried in her university work and her job just to get her mind of her ex. But after a bit of time they had become good friends again, only thing was, because of the recent events Sam had no idea if he was okay or not. After rethinking it through Sam started to feel pathetic that she hadn't already moved on, she had gone on dates with some really nice guys and some of them were incredibly gorgeous but none of them were him – _I'm so pathetic!_ But then Sam remembered the constant flirting between her and her ex whenever they were together after they became good friends again but then the whole Government conspiracy upon the town started and ruined her second chance for happiness.

"Why don't you let me take over? You seem to be getting a little worked up,"

Sam closed her eyes and sighed grumpily, "I'm not getting worked up,"

Erik smiled and plucked the bottle of cooking oil out of Sam's hand, "of course you're not," he chuckled and placed it back in the cupboard and pointed at it. "It's always in that one," Erik watched Sam for a couple of seconds and his smile faded to an empathic frown; he needed to talk to her about his stupid mistake last night. "Sam, you know last night when we..." for some reason he couldn't even get out his words, he never imagined himself being passionate with anyone other than Christine – _well, would Sam count? _Considering Erik did see Christine's face instead of Sam's, but he could definitely imagine the sight of him and Sam near the living room kissing and touching, but he felt guilty about it, for no real reason. He felt that thinking of such things was against his relationship with Christine...a relationship that no longer existed.

"Snogged? Kissed? Made out? Whatever you want to call it," Sam finished her him after a few uneasy silent moments had past in the cloudy kitchen. "Don't worry about it," she shrugged and opened her eyes again though only half way which told Erik she must be exhausted and her eyes were bloodshot from being in the smoky kitchen for a long period of time. Sam pondered why he would bring this up now, why not earlier? It had taken Sam completely off guard because that's what a normal person would have done – she had prepared for the talk earlier on in the day but it never arrived so she thought he wasn't going to mention it, and yet...here he was now – mentioning it.

"I feel incredibly guilty about my actions Sam. It's just, Christine was the love of my life and she's gone, gone from my grasp and-" he stopped in mid-sentence and watched her before sighing in defeat, "I just miss her, that's all. And last night I saw her face on you and I couldn't resist," Erik shrugged; all he wanted of her was to forgive him but if she did, would really change anything in his life? So, he wouldn't care all that much if she forgave him or not. Maybe just feel a little happier if she did.

Sam smiled understandingly, "I get it don't worry, I lost a love of my life too. Two years ago, haven't done anything with a guy since," she chuckled, "sounds even worse when I say it out loud," Sam felt a little warmer inside now knowing that he did feel sorry and generally sincere for his mistake and hoped they could pretend it never happened as they both could relate with each other, losing someone that meant everything to them.

Erik felt happier than he thought he would and less guilty, plus he didn't think Sam would be so understanding about his embarrassing slip-up last night. But she was and he felt more at ease with himself and hoped tonight he would get better rest. Erik smiled, "you think that's bad? I haven't seen Christine in over five years, not been with another woman since," Sam laughed in shock, and Erik joined in though he felt a little embarrassed – he couldn't help it, he loved Christine! But the only reason she wasn't with him now was because of that man named Raoul who had taken her away from him.

Sam seized her laughter which faded into a frown of thought, "where did she go?"

Erik had to look down at Sam because of the height difference between the two, he sighed before responding "She left with her lover, Raoul. He's perfect for her in every way, he was noble, generous, handsome, no defor-" he abruptly stopped; he almost told her what lay beneath the mask. He had to be more careful! "Nothing like me that's for sure," he shifted uncomfortably against the dark marble counter and lowered his eyes to the pale laminate flooring that surrounded his feet in a lack of colour, it was time to change the kitchen again because he had grown bored with the design, but what was the point now? This place would go up in flames just like the rest of Hurlingborough when the time comes. Such a beautiful old building...wasted. Because some Government officials thought they would test some bionic weapon upon one of their own towns! Blasted politics! Erik just wanted to get hold of some of that demonic gas and take it the great Westminster Palace itself and see how they like to undertake this suffering, _low life pricks. _

"Ouch man, that must have killed you inside," Sam gave him a reassuring and rested a comforting hand on his shoulder, he looked at it with rose eyebrows which caused her drop her hand and mumble, "sorry," with a shrug. "Just trying to be a good friend, it's something I'm good at," she smiled again. Friend? Erik doesn't have friends, only acquaintances or associates but never friends let alone good friends - other than his old friend, Nadir Khan who was a police chief who had returned to Persia a month before the outbreak for a wedding and some birthdays. Whether or not he had returned to Hurlingborough Erik wasn't told nor heard from him. "Do you ever think we will find anyone again?" Sam asked him, some hope behind those hazel eyes – Erik could tell she really wanted someone new, a fresh start and feel safe. "You know, that's if we survive this whole thing,"

Erik quirked a soft eyebrow at her, "of course you will. You have everything going for you," he looked at her; she did have everything going for her. She had looks, she had style, she had a good personality and her faults were only minor like her dyslexia, her stammer, her inability to look people in the eye and her habits. Hers were only small and could be hidden, outgrown or fixed whereas his was much worse and unfixable: temper; selfishness; and of course the biggest one of all his deformity that made him look like and feel like a monster. People always thought he liked wearing masks because they saw the uncovered side which was okay...some would say handsome or girls like Sam and Mary who would call him 'sexy' but he didn't see his good looks of course, all he saw was the monstrous markings covered from everyone else so they wouldn't know they were there. But he knew...he knew about them and nothing could ever change that! No one would ever understand! No one would ever give him a chance! Not even her...she didn't, she said everything was going to be okay and no matter what she wouldn't hurt him, but it was all lies! Lies! Lies! Lies! He hated lies! He hated liars...especially the ones that made themselves look like better people, or the ones that say they keep your secrets hidden but then yell them to the world! Or perhaps the ones that promise not to leave...but they do.

Sam smiled, "thanks Erik. Maybe I should have got my head out of the depression world that is studying and into spicy one that is dating for a little while huh? I probably would have found someone by now, and have a decent relationship like Mary and Lamb chop..." Sam shook her head and imagining being with a perfect guy, he would be tall, muscular, dark hair..._this is getting far to like Erik_ she laughed at herself. Maybe even a guy with a temper or a habit for fighting so she could have the liberty in 'taming the animal' so to speak. What does it matter now though? _I'm probably not going to survive until the end anyway...no doubt something will happen on the way to the gates and I will die_, Sam sighed, suddenly depressed by the thought. Sam looked up from the ground at Erik with a grin appearing as she shook the thoughts from her mind, "sorry," she laughed, "my mind kind of wondered away...and I totally zoned and didn't hear what you said,"

Erik quirked an eyebrow, "erm...I said the vegetables are..." before he could finish Sam turned to the hob and turned it off quickly as the frothing water was overflowing out the pan and onto the hob. The vegetables instantly calmed down after being taken off the heat and Erik laughed at Sam who had hold of the pots heat proof handles while looking confused about where to put it. Erik carefully took the pan of vegetables from Sam's grip and placed it back down on a different side of the hob. "It seems someone needs to be pay more attention," he chuckled at her expense and a light, mischievous glint shone in his eyes and he felt good for the first time in a while.

Sam gave him a mocking pouting face, "shut up," she chuckled, "you said you were going to cook this so ha!" she laughed. "So maybe you should pay more attention!" she chuckled and playfully smacked him on the chest and stood before him now instead of leaning against the counter with her small arms dangling lazily beside her and acting completely carefree, maybe that's why Sam and her friend's were so happy compared to Erik...they were carefree. "Laughing at me! How dare you! I'm so offended!" she mocked at being angry but Erik didn't understand that and thought she was suddenly stern and started to apologise but was shocked when Sam started laughing. "I wasn't being serious. It was a joke...you know, haha?" she wanted to laugh but she had to compress it as her reaction might actually offend him and make him angry which was something she didn't want to do. But, regardless of trying to repress her laugh an amused smile played upon her soft lips.

Erik chuckled at himself, how did he not get that she was only joking? "I had a silly moment..." Sam's face changed to one with widened eyes and a 'o' shaped mouth but he could tell her the glint in her eye that she was playing, "what?" laughter playing with his voice.

"You just don't seem like the kind of guy that would say words like 'silly' or a swear word," she suddenly gasped in recognition, "swear! Swear! Swear! Swear!" she began to bounce excitedly and Erik's face grew more and more entertained comically as the moments past.

"Why?"

Sam took a fake frustrated sigh, "'cause...you have a posh-ish voice and it's funny when people with posh voices or posh-ish ones swear! Go on! Swear! Please! Please!"

"Erm..." he began to think what word to say.

"As if you have to think," she laughed, "fuck, shit, crap, arse, tit, twat..."

"You are being a bad influence on the under socialized..." he had never had fun like this in Christine's company, not all at once anyway. He couldn't remember the last night he had been in a good mood for this length of time.

"Oh come on! Please!"

"Damn..."

The sudden look of disappointment spread across her face like a storm, "Damn? I ask you to swear and I get 'damn'? I...say worse in front of my Nan! In fact...my Nan says worse, well...not anymore," she shrugged.

"Fuck..." Erik smirked.

"That's more like it!" where had this girl got her energy from? One minute she was angry and now she was hyper? She began to bounce excitedly again until Erik put a hand on the top of her head with a grin to stop her.

"You are like a child..."

"And yet...a bad influence," she pulled a face and quirked a brow at him.


	7. Please read

**Authors Notice. Please read. **

**Hey guys, I know I haven't been a very loyal writer, I apologise. It's just things are beginning tight, me returned to full time education now and my original book, that's going well just in case anyone was wondering – if you want a taste just message me and I'll send you the prologue. **

**Anyway, after coming back on I logged and checked the stats and all that those do-hickies, I read the reviews for this and decided that I will pick it up again. I have half of the next chapter buried somewhere in the many word documents on my laptop. **

**I do not know how soon, but I **_**promise**_** I will bring another chapter out, and hopefully squeeze maybe three chapters before Christmas 2011. Doesn't seem like much for that period of time, but still...I'm a very busy person. **


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